‘Take 10 For Your Ticker’ During Heart Month

BRIDGEPORT — As part of its observance of Heart Month in February, Bridgeport Hospital has introduced “Take 10 for Your Ticker,” a free online heart-disease risk quiz designed to encourage people to take more control of their health and make smart choices about diet, exercise and other lifestyle behaviors.

Bridgeport Hospital has been at the forefront of advanced cardiac care for nearly 50 years, and is ranked first in Connecticut in heart failure survival, according to information published by the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The quiz is available from the Bridgeport Hospital Internet home page, www.bridgeporthospital.org, by clicking on the link in the “Take 10 for Your Ticker” box.

“The ‘10’ is for ten questions, not ten minutes,” explains Bridgeport Hospital Chief of Cardiology Stuart Zarich, MD, who designed the quiz. “On average, it takes only a couple of minutes to complete the quiz — and receive your results.”

The quiz asks about smoking and exercise habits, weight and family history of heart disease, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure levels, then assigns a risk level of low, intermediate, or high based on the answers provided.

“Some people may not know their cholesterol or blood pressure levels off hand, but not knowing is a risk factor in and of itself,” said Dr Zarich. “The point is that if you don’t know your risk factors, you should see your doctor to find out and take the steps your doctor recommends to stay healthy.”

The results page also includes links to information about cardiac health and gives quiz takers the option to seek referrals to Bridgeport Hospital primary care physicians and cardiologists.

“The quiz is an educational tool,” Dr Zarich said. “It is not a substitute for a thorough physical exam by a physician who can diagnose, treat, and help manage any health problems.”

In the first week after the launch of Take 10 for Your Ticker, 420 people (246 women and 172 men) logged on to take the quiz. They represented the following age groups:

Under 50, 119 people (28.4 percent)

60–69, 112 people (26.6 percent)

70–79, 68 people (16.2 percent)

80 and over, 10 people (2.4 percent)

More than half the quiz takers (221 people) scored in the intermediate-risk range for heart disease, while more than 25 percent (106 people) were in the high-risk group. Just over 22 percent (93 people) had scores that ranked them at low risk for heart disease.

Take 10 for Your Ticker will remain on the Bridgeport Hospital website after Heart Month. For those without access to the Internet, a free printed copy of the quiz, with an explanation of the results, is available by calling 888-357-2396.